The Demon Who Ate My Heart
by Spunky0ne
Summary: Bankai form Zaraki finds an unconscious beauty in the aftermath of his victory over Gerard, but he needs time and someone special to calm him down so he will return to shinigami form. Cornered and alone with his demon-form comrade, Byakuya works to calm Zaraki, and in the meantime ends up being the subject of his possessed colleague's explorations...Kenpachi/Byakuya...yaoi, mpreg
1. Predator and Prey

**The Demon Who Ate My Heart**

 **By Spunky0ne**

 **(I was inspired by Kenpachi Zaraki's bankai reveal to write this piece, so spoilers are ahead if you haven't read the latest chapters. Bankai form Zaraki finds an unconscious beauty in the aftermath of his victory over Gerard, but he will need some time and someone special to calm him down so he will return to shinigami form. Cornered and alone with his demon-form comrade, Byakuya works to calm Zaraki, and in the meantime ends up being the subject of his possessed colleague's** _ **explorations**_ **. And that is just the beginning of the story! Yaoi, coarse language, mpreg. This is a Kenpachi/Byakuya fic with sides of Kurushimi/Tetsuya (thanks to Shima-taicho31 for letting me use Kuri!), Urahara/Ichigo and Bazz-B/Renji.)**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 1: Predator and Prey**

The red beast laid under several feet of tumbled debris, steam curling out of his nostrils and making small plumes in the midst of the wreckage. Spatters of falling rain disturbed the perfect shapes and plinked against the tangled bits of metal and stone, some of them falling down deeper to strike the sleeping beast's red face and throat. The beast snorted and grunted, one golden eye opening and glaring up at the falling droplets, making several turn to mist almost instantly. He hissed at the weight of the rocks on top of him, and when he got angry enough, he blasted them out of his way and crawled out onto the mess. A feral snarl escaped it as he was pelted with more rain, and he looked around through his narrowed eyes to try to find some kind of cover. He spotted a cave in a nearby cliff and stumbled towards it, only pausing when he heard a soft moan of distress.

His head turned and he sniffed the air, pausing as the soothing scent of flowers reached him. He was still too much in the thrall of his bloodlust to completely calm, but he managed to forget his hatred of the rain to move closer, following the scent to the collapsed and half-buried person who seemed to be its source.

The fallen man was unnaturally pale and what blood had been on his skin had been washed away by the rain, leaving it damp and tinged with blue from the cold. Soaked strands of raven colored hair streamed onto his cheeks and laid plastered there while the man's grey eyes blinked dazedly and tried to focus. Zaraki hissed and the man stiffened in reaction. The beast crawled closer, honing in on the man's sweetness and whining in mingled arousal and annoyance. He paused to reach up with one clawed hand to scratch at the mane of black hair that tumbled down his red-skinned back. Seeming to sense that the fallen man was weak and not likely to fight him, the beast started to turn away, then stopped again as the fallen man's deep, compelling voice sounded.

"W-wait! K-kenpachi, d-don't…"

He panted and coughed, then laid his face against the broken and water-soaked stone, resigning himself to his probable fate.

 _Kenpachi is no better than a primal animal now. The only thing a beast like that would do for me is to tear my throat out to spare me…or maybe to eat me. I am better off lying here and slowly bleeding to death. At least the cold has made me numb so I will not feel anything._

He made his shaking body relax forcefully, breathing slowly and listening to the pitter-pat of the falling raindrops. He lost track of where the demonized Kenpachi was and nearly bolted out of his skin when a red face came suddenly close to his, sniffing and growling. Byakuya tried to focus on the beast's golden eyes and toothy grimace, but his vision flickered ominously and his mind faded in and out. He was sure he was delirious when he felt something move him and managed not to scream in agony, but only to groan weakly in protest. Whatever was holding him snarled viciously and Byakuya instinctively went still and let himself be carried, although he was more tossed about, dropped and half-dragged. He was sure it would have hurt much more had he been able to actually feel the impact on his body. As it was, he managed to hold back any sound as the beast dragged him off, away from the battlefield, and into the newly constructed lands of the soul king. The beast reached the cave he had spied before and carried Byakuya into it, then dropped him carelessly in the back, before crawling away again.

"Bastard!" Byakuya gasped, trying and failing to move.

 _Is he just going to watch me bleed to death?_

Mercifully, unconsciousness stole him away again, and he fell into a deeper, more carefree oblivion. Flashes of memories passed through his mind, but rather than feeling lifelike, he saw them through a filter that stole their color and much of the sound. It was like watching old film.

 _I have heard that dying men often see their lives flash before their eyes, but this is so distant and it moves so slowly. Is that because I am dying slowly?_

He thought he might have heard some sound that wasn't connected to the picture, and he tried to open his eyes, but all that was left to him was breathing slowly and feeling his steady heartbeats. He drifted in and out of consciousness, sometimes feeling the demon's burning reiatsu near him and sometimes aware that the beast was farther away and hunting. Sometimes, he thought he felt claw-tipped hands and strong reiatsu touch him directly, but his hazy mind wasn't sure of the reality of the exchange. For what may have been days, he teetered on the edge between life and death, with that red beast coming and going, prodding him occasionally to see that he was still alive and nudging him until he made a sound of protest. Byakuya bore it all quietly.

 _Because there is nothing else I can do. My fate is in this creature's hands and it seems that even though he is a bloodthirsty demon, he has an odd interest in me. Is that insanely lucky or just insane?_

Byakuya felt something damp and cold touch his lip, and he scented fish.

 _He…it…is trying to make me eat?_

The smell was barely above putrid and the thought of it having hung from demon-form Kenpachi's clenched white teeth was extremely off-putting, but Byakuya's stomach growled noisily and he quickly surmised that if he wanted to survive, he would have to lower himself to eat whatever the beast offered him.

 _I eat sushi. I can eat this._

He tried moving his mouth and was relieved to find that he could. Kenpachi growled impatiently as he worked slowly at the bit, and then was offered another. He managed just a few pieces, then turned his head away, only to have it forced to turn back and to suffer having three more pieces shoved into his mouth. He choked them down, then started to fall asleep, only to feel something drip onto his cheek. His dry mouth opened instinctively.

 _Water?_

 _I don't think I want to know where it is coming from._

He risked a glance and was gifted with the somewhat terrifying sight of the red-skinned and beastly Kenpachi Zaraki, crouched on hands and knees, letting water droplets fall from his open mouth into Byakuya's.

 _Lovely._

 _I would vomit, but I really do need the fluids if I want to survive. I am fortunate that Kenpachi, however demonic and primal he is in this form, has for some reason, made my survival a priority._

 _Although I hesitate to ask why._

He finished the offering of water, then he closed his eyes and started to lick his lips dry, but found his tongue made contact with something soft and slightly salty and smoky. Byakuya's eyes opened and found Kenpachi's red face close to his, and the demon's eyes fixed on him with a curious, measuring look in them. For a moment, neither moved. Then, Zaraki's long, snakelike tongue slipped out of his mouth and traveled slowly up the side of Byakuya's lovely, and instantly glaring, face.

"Do not _touch_ me, you foul smelling animal!" he scolded his comrade, earning a vicious hiss and a dangerous flaring of the demon-form's reiatsu that nearly set Byakuya's silken black hair on fire.

Kenpachi swatted at him, catching his injured comrade easily and knocking him to the cave floor.

"Bastard!" Byakuya snapped shakily, raising himself onto quivering hands and knees and staring as the red beast closed in on him again.

He watched in silent horror as the beast's golden eyes glared and his red lips and white teeth snarled warningly. Kenpachi stalked closer, pausing in front of him and keeping their eyes locked for several long seconds. Then, his long tongue flicked out of his mouth and ran up the noble's soft cheek, finishing by tickling his earlobe with some amount of what seemed like affection.

This time, Byakuya was wise enough to just accept the dubious honor.

 _I have no choice but to placate him until either someone comes close enough that I can summon them here or I get well enough to leave on my own._

He gave a sigh of relief as Kenpachi huffed out a fishy breath and relaxed enough to sit, crouched on his haunches. He glanced more dismissively at Byakuya, then reached down to scratch his nether region.

 _I don't want to think about seeing that thing aroused!_

Instead, Byakuya busied his mind with plans for what he would do at the first sign of possible rescue and made backup plans in case no one ever took the time to look into the cliffs and little valley Kenpachi had carried him into.

 _I have to hope he calms and recovers his shinigami form soon. He is very unpredictable and even more nauseating in this form than in his usual one. What a disturbed and unlikable bankai…but then, Kenpachi Zaraki is a very disturbed and unlikable barbarian. We couldn't have secured victory without him, but really…_

Byakuya made a soft sound of surprise and Kenpachi appeared suddenly, much closer to him, and shoved him to the cave floor.

"Stop it, you smelly troll!" the noble hissed furiously, making a more guttural sound of dismay as Kenpachi's arm curled around his waist and the monstrous demon's body pressed up against his back.

 _I don't believe this!_

"Let me up, you ridiculous…"

His words were stopped by a red hand that clapped over his mouth. Then, Byakuya was shocked soundly again as Kenpachi's voice spoke into his reeling mind.

 _Shut up and sleep._

"So, you can communicate now?" Byakuya asked, "That is good. Kenpachi, we have to go to the palace. You have to take me to…"

Byakuya stiffened as Kenpachi's mouth opened wide, expelling a violent roar that riled the noble's hair, shook the cave hard enough to rattle loose a small hail of little pebbles, and left several dribbles of spit on Byakuya's lovely, petrified face. Kenpachi's big hand swatted him down again and the beast's body pressed up against his back as a clawed hand held him in place possessively.

 _Shut up and sleep._

Byakuya scowled, but didn't dare move.

 _A four word vocabulary._

 _It figures._

Byakuya's body relaxed in stages, gradually adjusting to the odd feeling of being held as he drifted towards sleep.

 _I used to sleep with Hisana in my arms,_ he remembered _, and it was pleasant to feel close to her that way. It's different being the one held._

He groaned inwardly as Kenpachi snorted and grunted in his sleep, then began to snore loudly in Byakuya's ear.

 _Hisana never made horrid sounds like that when she slept. She was quiet as a mouse._

He cast a withering glance over his shoulder at the sleeping beast.

 _I liked her better._

 _At least I could fall asleep next to her._

Kenpachi snorted again and snarled in his sleep, then twitched and whimpered before falling silent.

 _Oh, thank kami. I am very tired._

Byakuya had barely closed his eyes when Kenpachi began to snore again.

 _I have to get out of here…_

He was sure he would never get used to the roar in his ears, the confining feeling of being held against his will, or the not so irrational fear Kenpachi would stiffen in his sleep and accidentally gut him with the clawed hand that was curled around his waist. But eventually, weariness and the need for rest overcame him, and he managed to fall into a discomfited sleep. He suffered horrid dreams for the rest of the night and woke with nagging aches all over his abused body, but he was pleased to find that Kenpachi had gotten up before him and apparently gone to hunt. Buoyed by the moment of opportunity, Byakuya scrambled out of the cave and hurried down the rough trail that led to the forest floor of the little valley.

He had barely touched down on the valley floor, when something huge and foul smelling crashed into him and knocked him down onto his back.

"Kenpachi, you…!"

Numbing terror stopped Byakuya's words as he stared up into the black, leathery face of an actual spirit demon.

 _I've read about the demons of the spirit realm. They are horrid things that used to be transcendent beings, but then lost their senses, due to inability to control their own power. When found, they are humanely locked away in pocket dimensions, where they can't harm people. Their scratch is deadly, and the incursion of their blood or reiatsu into a person's body will slowly turn that person into one of them!_

Byakuya stared woodenly into the deadly creature's hateful eyes, waiting for the inevitable, violent end to his life.

One moment, he was looking up into the demon's wicked gaze, then in the next the thing was torn away from him, slashed in two and the pieces sent flying through the trees. Byakuya rolled onto his stomach, his heart pounding painfully in his chest and his body shaking uncontrollably. He felt Kenpachi's presence and a shaft of relief passed through him. A moment later, he was lifted and tossed carelessly over a broad shoulder, then the red beast carried him back up the cliff trail and deposited him roughly at the back of the cave. Byakuya collapsed onto his stomach again, working to slow his quickened breaths and reeling at just how close he had come to dying.

He felt Kenpachi's golden eyes watching him closely, then suffered a shudder inside as the red beast pressed up against his back, curling an arm around him.

"I d-do not think I can sleep," Byakuya managed, trying to pull free and sit up.

Kenpachi held him down firmly, sending another wave of shock through the noble's body by pulling Byakuya's hair back to expose the back of his neck. Hot breath on the area made Byakuya's insides quiver strangely, then he felt Kenpachi's teeth take hold and the world around him went decidedly hazy. He knew he should put up some kind of fight, or at least resist as his demonized comrade's body pressed closer, and something large and fiercely hot touched the small of his back. Kenpachi made a giddy and somewhat delirious sounding noise and shifted restlessly, bringing himself into position and slowly entering the spellbound noble from behind. Byakuya's stunned mind couldn't register that he was an anal virgin being taken for the first time, that the one penetrating him was a demon, or that he would rather have fallen on his own sword than let Kenpachi Zaraki touch him sexually. All that registered was melting heat that scorched him inside, slight pain at the back of his neck that made him hold perfectly still, and the soft, purring rumble that Kenpachi's demon form made in his ear as his comrade's hips began to move. Inexplicably, Byakuya moved with him, the two falling into a steady rhythm, Kenpachi continuing that deep, purring sound in his chest and Byakuya moaning and panting in a way that should have made him cringe.

The surreal exchange grew gradually in intensity, Kenpachi's powerful hips grinding harder and Byakuya's pushing back scandalously to increase the sinfully enjoyable friction between them. Finally, Kenpachi groaned and quivered, sending liquid fire into Byakuya's surrendered body in a seething wave that threatened to incinerate him. But the noble had proven his durability in battle, and did himself no less proudly in bearing Kenpachi Zaraki's uncontrolled release. A howl of mingled passion and pain did escape him, but Byakuya was too swept up in his own violent release to chide himself. The two men collapsed completely onto the cave floor and fell into a deathlike state that lasted for several hours before they simply fell asleep together.

Byakuya woke with a start, sometime later, to find Kenpachi was gone again, and that he couldn't remember exactly what had happened after the other demon had cornered him.

 _Kenpachi must have rescued me._

He did have a vague impression of seeing the demon split in half and flying through the air.

 _But how did I get back here? Did he carry me? I do not remember a thing!_

He crawled to the front of the cave, then froze and stared as his eyes found Kenpachi, looking not red all over, but his normal color, and wearing his shredded shihakushou.

 _Well, barely wearing it._

Kenpachi crouched beside a roaring fire, cooking several fish he had skewered in a stick. He looked up and spotted Byakuya, and his scarred face broke into a wide grin.

"Well, it's about damned time you woke up," he chuckled, "You get some good beauty rest, princess?"

Byakuya stiffened and his lips curled reflexively.

"Do not _dare_ to call me that, you foul beast!" the noble said scathingly.

"Be nice or I won't share," Kenpachi said, smirking.

Byakuya bristled, but he sensed he was still too weak to forage and cook, so he stumbled to the fire and sat down near his recovered comrade, promising himself that he would kill Kenpachi before ever letting the man take bankai form again.

 _We may have needed that power to fight Ywach and his elites, but Ywach is dead and there is no more need for that monster to show itself._

"What's wrong, Byakushi?" a girl's voice asked.

Byakuya watched with curious eyes as the pink-haired girl scampered up to the fire and grabbed one of the cooking fish. She swallowed it whole and burped, then giggled and scampered away as Kenpachi swatted at her.

"Wait until they're done!" he yelled at her.

 _Interesting,_ Byakuya observed, _then, I wasn't imagining things during that battle. Yachiru isn't really a shinigami at all._

 _She is…part of Kenpachi's power._


	2. Under the Moon

**Chapter 2: Under the Moon**

 **(Thanks going out to Shima-Taicho31 (Aww, well Kuri will get some tongue action this chapter, and a cute introduction to Byakuya's lovely cousin. He should like that!), Emmagem803 (My muse went off her rocker when she saw Kenpachi's bankai. That was AWESOME!), Lilbit1016 (Aww, thanks!), TMP3475 (Oh my god, I think poor Bya will need some therapy after this! And Kenpachi, well...he's kind of a 'roll with the punches' type! lol), GemNika (Yes, red demon kenpachi was just too much temptation! Luckily, I have finished a few stories lately, so I could add one or two!), Anonymous guest (Thanks! You are sweet!), Picklez80 (Oh yes, Kenny's reaction will be funny too. :) I just can't wait until I can write Bya finding out.), Periwinkle (More is granted!), Wildwind13 (For you, sure thing! More Kenny/Bya updates are on the way!), and Aizenfan6969 (More is definitely on the way. I have soooooo many parts I'm looking forward to.) Thanks for reading and reviewing! Spunky loves you!)**

Byakuya felt a harsh twinge in his midsection and placed a hand on his abdomen as he continued to follow the pathway leading to the newly restored soul king's palace. He stumbled slightly and suffered a flash of indignation as Kenpachi looped an arm around his waist, steadying him.

"Stop that. I can walk on my own!" he snapped angrily, pulling free of the bigger man.

"Whatever you say, princess," Kenpachi said, smirking, "It just looked like you were about to faint like a girl, so I was gettin' ready to catch you if you fell down."

"I am not going to _faint_ ," hissed the furious noble, "Keep your bumbling hands to yourself or you will lose them."

"All right. All right," Kenpachi chuckled, raising his hands in mock defense, "Go ahead and drop dead if you want. I'll wait until you're on the ground to pick you up."

"Boy, Byakushi is in a really bad mood, huh Kenny?" Yachiru giggled, "What'sa matter? You have a tummy ache?"

"I was in repeated battles over the course of nearly a month, Vice Captain," Byakuya said dryly, "I assure you that I hurt nearly everywhere. But I am a noble son and I will not be dishonored by entering the palace of the new king on anything but my own two feet!"

"O-kay!" Yachiru said cheerfully, "You heard him, Kenny. He wants to walk on his own two feet."

"Yeah, and when he drops, we'll just have to carry his noble ass back anyway."

"Would you mind not speaking that way in front of a _child_ ," Byakuya chided him.

Kenpachi gave the noble a crooked smile.

"Now, I think you and I both know Yachiru's not a child exactly," he said, tilting his head slightly.

"I _know_ what she is," Byakuya said scathingly, "but she manifests as a child, which, while strangely appropriate for an emanation of your immature power, requires that we treat her as one."

"Except for having her fight like an adult when I go bankai…"

Byakuya turned suddenly and grabbed the tattered front of his colleague's shihakushou, rending the torn fabric even more.

"I think that you should keep that horrific manifestation from coming back, _ever_!" he snapped in an enraged tone that made Kenpachi pause and stare in amusement, "I do not care _who_ the enemy is, that _thing_ you call your bankai is no better than something straight out of _Jigoku_! (hell)"

"Now who's saying bad words, eh, Yachiru?" Kenpachi snickered.

He glowered down into Byakuya's dangerously glinting eyes.

"What's your problem, Kuchiki? Are you pissed that my demon form did the job better than your pretty, dancing petals?" he teased, making Byakuya's eyes narrow and his reiatsu flare.

"You nearly killed us all!" Byakuya seethed, "And you will remember that it was not you alone who defeated that giant."

"Heh," Kenpachi huffed in amusement, "So, we held hands for a moment to get the job done. Whatever. It's over. You need to cool your jets. You're starting to get on my nerves. Now, let go and let's get th'fuck outta here."

He pulled free of Byakuya's clenching hands and started down the trail again.

"That thing is dangerous," Byakuya argued, "And it won't truly be under your control for a while."

"Would you stop your pissing and moaning about that," Kenpachi said tersely, "What would be the other option? If I didn't use it, we would've died. You know that, so why don't you shut it and put your energy into something useful, like walking without collapsing?"

Byakuya shot Kenpachi a withering glare and forced his tormented body into a walk again. Yachiru giggled softly in Kenpachi's ear.

"Byakushi is really, _really_ grouchy. I don't think he liked the raw fish you gave him while you were still all red, or the dribbling the water into his mouth."

"Well, sorry I couldn't give you the royal treatment," Kenpachi scoffed, making Byakuya's teeth clench, "It's not like I could help it."

"You were always a nasty barbarian," Byakuya growled softly, "Your demon form only made you more so."

"That demon form you're pissing on also saved your damned life," Kenpachi reminded him gruffly, "So, why don't you quit bitching now. I'm tired of listening to it."

"I don't suppose it's nearly as bad as me having to sit up all night, listening to your unending and ear shattering snoring."

"Oh, did my snoring bother you?" Kenpachi sneered, "Well, maybe next time, I can leave you out in the rain and let you bleed or starve to death! How's that, princess?"

"We're here!" Yachiru called out as the three reached the open palace gates.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya registered a strange flutter in the reiatsu around him and brought the stallion he rode to a stop.

 _I feel it too_ , the black Arabian's voice whispered into his shinigami master's mind, _off the trail and to the right._

"That is dangerously close to the barrier hiding the family," Tetsuya noted, reaching up with a bruised hand to brush several misbehaving strands of raven colored hair out of his eyes.

 _Master, you are still somewhat depleted from the last quincy that appeared here._

"We must hold the defenses," Tetsuya said wearily, "You felt it, I know. Ywach is gone, but the quincies down here are desperate. They know they have lost. Many fled, but some have remained to try to do as much damage to the noble families as they can. We have to stop them from reaching the ones we protect here. We are the only house guards left out here, Arashi."

 _Then, we will stop them_ , Arashi assured him.

Tetsuya let out a slow breath and slid down off the horse's back. He invoked his shikai, waiting as his body shifted to a watery, translucent state, then he moved in silent footsteps, off the path and into the soft forest soil, carefully avoiding anything that would make noise. He sensed someone in the brush ahead of him and held his breath in anticipation as he moved closer.

A soft glow seemed to outline a tall, deathly white skinned woman, dressed in a black kimono that hung partway off her pale shoulders and had a white band around her slim waist. Her eyes were milky white and glowed dangerously as they seemed to stare straight ahead of her. A hat with a long veil misted over hair that fell to her feet, then disappeared behind her. She stood a short distance away, over the collapsed body of what appeared to be a man. Tetsuya's eyes narrowed at the sight of long chains the woman spirit held in her hands.

"That's no quincy," Tetsuya breathed.

 _It is a zanpakutou!_ Arashi agreed, _I should approach her first. She may not attack a horse._

"Very well," Tetsuya whispered, "but be careful. If her master is injured, she may be volatile."

 _I will be cautious._

Tetsuya followed several steps behind as Arashi stepped forward, huffing out a breath and nickering softly. The spirit ahead of them stiffened for a moment and her hands that were still holding the chains rose, but at the sound Arashi made, she relaxed slightly, only watching as the tall black horse revealed himself and moved to stand in front of her.

 _Does your master require healing?_ Arashi whispered into the spirit's mind, _My shinigami master can help him. Will you allow him to approach?_

The spirit glared at Arashi for a moment, then nodded briefly and stepped back. She stiffened warningly as Tetsuya made himself visible. The young man paused, gazing up into her glinting eyes.

"My apologies for being stealthy," he said softly, "but this area has been targeted by the quincies. Is that how your master was injured?"

"It is," the spirit revealed, speaking through her black painted lips, "He killed the quincy, but collapsed from his wounds."

"I will heal him," Tetsuya promised, "but we should move him somewhere safer. There is a cave in the direction I came from. Will you allow me to move him there for healing?"

The spirit regarded him silently for a moment, then disappeared.

"O-kay," Tetsuya sighed, shaking his head, "Arashi?"

The stallion moved closer, then he kneeled down at the side of the collapsed man. Tetsuya first noted his injuries, then carefully lifted him and placed him on the stallion's back. Arashi stood slowly, with Tetsuya helping to keep the man's body in place, then walking alongside the horse as they returned to the cave where they had been camping. Arashi carried the man inside, watching curiously as Tetsuya lifted him down, then he nodded and moved back outside to keep watch.

Tetsuya laid the injured man down on his bedroll, then carefully began to open his clothing. He paused to brighten the kido light he had set in the cave, blinking as his eyes adjusted and came to rest on the injured man's caramel skinned face and lovely, fine carved features. A moment later, his breath caught in realization.

"Lord Shima, leader of the Shima clan?" he breathed.

At the sound of his name, Kurushimi groaned and started to turn in his sleep. His arm flopped out, catching Tetsuya and bringing him down onto his back as the injured man rolled partway on top of him.

"Oh!" Tetsuya gasped, struggling as the delirious man's hazy turquoise eyes struggled to focus.

"Y-you!" he managed dizzily, "H-hideaki, you c-came back!"

"No, I'm not…!" Tetsuya began.

His words disappeared as the Shima leader's mouth clamped down on his and the man's hungry tongue invaded Tetsuya's protesting mouth.

"L-lord Shima, stop!" Tetsuya cried, struggling harder.

Kurushimi's invading tongue pushed in deeper, exploring Tetsuya's frowning mouth so sensuously, the younger man was momentarily overcome and couldn't help but kiss him back. He felt the injured man's fingers working at his clothing and snapped back to reality, tearing himself free and retreating to the back of the cave, using a waterform to make his body nearly invisible.

"Hideaki!" Kurushimi moaned, "Wh-where are you?"

Tetsuya watched in surprise, panting and staring in dismay as large tears rolled onto the Shima leader's handsome face.

"C-come back!" he panted, writhing and groaning at the pain it caused, "Come back!"

"L-lord Shima, you have to hold still!" Tetsuya exclaimed, moving closer, "You are hurt."

"Who are you? Sh-show yourself, you demon!" Kurushimi demanded dazedly, turning in the direction of Tetsuya's voice.

"I am not an enemy," Tetsuya explained, "I will show myself, just to heal you. But you can't grab me like that again."

"Come out," Kurushimi said in a more collected tone.

Tetsuya slipped out of his waterform and returned to the injured man's side, pausing to look down into his clearer eyes. The man frowned and reached up to touch Tetsuya's soft cheek.

"Ugh, I am sorry," Kurushimi apologized, "I…thought you were someone else."

"It's all right," Tetsuya assured him, blushing as he opened the man's clothing to address his wounds.

The Shima leader smiled more charmingly up at him.

"You are not who I expected," he commented, "but you are beautiful. May I ask your name?"

Tetsuya's blush deepened.

"I am Lord Byakuya's cousin and bodyguard, as well as the head of Kuchiki family security. I am Tetsuya Kuchiki. I am pleased to meet you, Lord Shima."

"I am honored to meet you as well, Tetsuya Kuchiki. You are the one they call Byakurai's _right hand_?"

Tetsuya shrugged dismissively.

"To some, I am his right hand, and to others, I am an abomination."

"You don't look like an abomination to me," Kurushimi said, smirking up at him, "You are lovely, Tetsuya Kuchiki."

"That is just because you are delirious," Tetsuya chided him, employing a throb of sedative kido to make the Shima leader drop off to sleep, "You will see things more clearly when you wake."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya and Kenpachi paused and examined the new environs that, strangely, differed vastly from the former king's palace.

 _But things have changed in the course of the war. There were things wrong with how we were before, and I am sure Ichigo realized that,_ Byakuya noted, _I wonder what that will mean._

"Captain Kuchiki! Captain Zaraki!" the palace guards called out, as the three arrived at the gates.

"Don't forget me!" Yachiru shouted out cheerfully, bounding off of Kenpachi's shoulders and bouncing on the two guards' heads several times as they grabbed at her dancing feet and shouted in protest.

"S-sorry, Vice Captain Kusajishi!" the men called out, "We didn't see you there."

The three moved on into the palace courtyard, where the captain commander was arriving, alongside Rukia, Renji, Ikakku, Yumichika and a recovering Ichigo.

"Brother!" Rukia exclaimed, flash stepping forward and smiling up at him.

"Rukia, I am glad you are all right," Byakuya said, stiffening against the feeling of lightheadedness that was overtaking him.

"Captain!" Renji greeted him, grinning widely, "It's good to see you are okay. You do look pale, though. We should get you to Tenjiro."

"Hey Captain Zaraki," Ikkaku greeted Kenpachi, "Do you need healing too?"

"Save it for the fainting flower boy over there," Kenpachi answered dismissively.

Byakuya started to flash step away, then froze as his flash step failed and a wave of dizziness left him reeling.

"Byakuya!" Rukia cried.

"I've got you!" Renji said, catching him as he started to pitch forward.

"D-don't you dare!" Byakuya snapped, glaring at his vice captain meaningfully.

"O-okay," Renji said sheepishly, simply letting Byakuya lean against him and curling an arm around his angry captain, "whatever you want, Captain."

Good to see you safe," Shunsui said, falling in with them, "Where have you two been for the last few days? We searched all over the battlefield for you."

"W-we were in a little valley a short distance away, recovering enough to walk back. We must have just missed the searchers," Byakuya explained.

"Well, the important thing is, you're safe," Shunsui said in a relieved tone, "Let's get you healed."

"Head Captain, what is the status of the monarchy? The king was killed and Ywach also, ne?"

"Yes," Shusui confirmed, "but we were able to recover the king's prism, and we have created a new incarnation of the soul king. He manifested differently this time, as you probably guessed by the changes in the landscape up here and the palace."

"I did notice," Byakuya affirmed.

"He was very gracious, and has been making sure we are all healed and given honors for our efforts in the war."

"Despite our failure to rescue the former king?" Byakuya asked pointedly.

Shunsui shrugged.

"I think the new king is aware we did our absolute best and were lucky to have survived to bring him back. The important thing is to get all of us healed and back down to Soul Society to help with the reconstruction, so as soon as you're healed and rested, we'll start making plans to go back. We were just waiting for word on you, and for a few wrap up celebrations for the king's coronation."

"Ah," Byakuya acknowledged, feeling a twinge of relief as they reached the palace infirmary, where Orihime greeted them cheerfully.

"Welcome back, Captain Kuchiki," the human girl said, bowing, "Sir Tenjiro is with another patient, but I can see you, if you like."

"Of course, thank you," Byakuya said, trying not to quiver as the discomfort in his belly and the dizziness began to increase again.

"Come right this way," the girl directed them.

Byakuya nudged free of Renji and turned back to stop his sister and vice captain from following.

"Go and rest," he said, his voice shaking slightly, "I will be fine now."

"Are you sure, Brother?" Rukia asked worriedly.

"I am sure. Go on."

He staggered into the room and dropped onto his back on the table, his head spinning as Hachi joined Orihime and the two began to examine him. The human girl's healing oval rose over the noble's body, dragging a little sigh of relief as the many cut and bruised areas began to mend themselves. He closed his eyes and drifted off, exhaustion taking over as his body seemed to realize that the fighting was finally over. He heard distant voices, now and again, but remained pleasantly removed. When he woke, he found that he had been moved from the infirmary to one of the grand palace suites and placed in a bed that was sinfully soft and comfortable.

When Byakuya opened his eyes again, it was late at night and his room was lit by only the stream of lovely moonlight that trickled in from outside. He slipped out of the bed, catching his breath at a twinge of residual pain in his back and legs. The feeling faded swiftly, and he moved forward, walking to the balcony doors and opening them so that he could step outside to enjoy slow breaths of fresh air, and the sight of the king's restored gardens.

 _My family's own gardens are the loveliest in Soul Society, but these…_

The gentle scents that rose up from the gardens below him carried a sweetness that seemed to bear away much of the heaviness of heart that the war had laid on Byakuya's heart.

 _It is still sad to think of Head Captain Yamamoto, of Chojiro Sasakibe and all of the others who died in the war, but those of us who kept on have honored their sacrifice with victory. And now is a time for healing and carrying on with our lives…as best we can, considering the gaping holes where those lost souls used to be._

He looked up at the pristine moon, letting its soothing energy wrap around him and light his body serenely. For a time, he disappeared into the deep, calming light, letting the memories of the battles slip away. He wasn't sure how long he had been there, staring silently upward, when he felt a pair of eyes watching him. He turned his head and found Kenpachi standing on the next balcony, observing him quietly. The big man smiled as Byakuya turned to face him.

"I would have thought you would be sleeping," the noble commented.

"I was thinking the same about you, Kuchiki. You were pretty messed up."

Byakuya paused, considering his words carefully.

"I suppose I owe you some thanks for removing me from the debris and taking care of me after the battle."

"Eh," Kenpachi said dismissively, "Don't worry about it. I didn't know what the hell I was doing. Sorry for the other thing too. Didn't know about that until after either."

Byakuya looked back at him blankly.

"The other thing?" the noble asked, earning a more curious look from the squad eleven captain, "If by that, you are referring to the rotten fish you forced me to eat and the water I don't want to think about."

"Um…" Kenpachi said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck.

 _He doesn't remember?_

 _Damn, I wonder if it didn't really happen. I was sure that my demon form had sex with him, but it must have been a weird dream. He'd probably get pissed again if I tell him. I guess it's better not to say anything._

"R-right," he agreed, "Yeah, well demons do eat things raw. I did cook the fish I gave you once I turned back, and the water was clean and in a cup too."

"Yes," Byakuya said dryly, "Thank you for that. We will forget about the rest."

Kenpachi's lips tightened for a moment, then he smiled and nodded.

"That was some good fighting you did," he complimented the noble.

Byakuya gave him a skeptical look.

"I thought you were the one making light of me and my dancing petals," he said stiffly.

Kenpachi shrugged.

"They were pretty, deadly and did the job…like you."

"Your demon form was…destructive," Byakuya replied coarsely.

"We did pretty well, working together," Kenpachi admitted.

"I thought you did not approve of captains, what was it? _Holding hands and singing Kumbaya_?" the noble mused.

"Well, you're not bad company. You're pretty. You smell good. You're good in a fight. What more could I ask for, right?"

"Hmm," Byakuya sighed, turning away to look at the moon, "Kenpachi, may I ask you something?"

"Sure, shoot."

"Would you have even been bothered if you'd killed Toshiro or me while you were in that form?"

"What th'hell kinda question is that?" Kenpachi huffed, scowling, "I warned you to stay out of my way. And no one got killed. Besides, do you think I'm that much of a monster?"

Byakuya glanced back at him over a slender shoulder.

"Sometimes."


	3. Anomalies

**Chapter 3: Anomalies**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **(Sorry about the lack of shout outs lately. I will catch up on them soon. I've just been busy caring for a sick family member, and it's been pretty much around the clock for a week. Things seem to be improving, so I should be back to a more normal schedule in a few days. It's been quite a trial, though. There's little in life that gets to me more than standing on the sidelines and watching a loved one suffer and struggle. I swear as soon as I'm home again, I'm going to take a weeklong nap. Anyway, hope you enjoy the new chapter. I apologize in advance for any mistakes. I will go back and edit more carefully when I have time. Love to all, Spunky)**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

A pale stream of moonlight trickled in through the open balcony doors, falling across the bed Byakuya laid in, illuminating his tossing and turning form as he struggled to sleep. Memories of his most likely destroyed home mingled darkly in his mind with the recollections of the sights and sounds of battle, expelled power colliding with howling souls, whose shrill screams and haunting death cries seemed to constrict within his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

 _He stepped out of the tenchurren and heard the door slide closed behind him. He looked back, but found himself ominously alone and surrounded by cracked and broken streets, tumbled and burned buildings, the stark skeleton of a society he remembered had been there before._

 _He turned towards where he knew his home had been, looking left and right as his feet carefully avoided the jagged pieces of shattered stone and wide cracks in the road. Darkness laid over everything, making the fires that still raged nearby, and the remaining embers glow eerily. Scents of smoke and dust blended with something more coppery. All around him, bodies still laid in the places where they had fallen. This wasn't a place for the living, but a haunt of the dead. Byakuya moved forward warily, honing in on the place he was born and feeling its loss before he reached the fallen gates._

 _He paused for a moment, closing his eyes and trying to remember Kuchiki Manor as it had been for as long as he could remember…a large main wing that housed the ruling family's suites and studies, the family dining room and kitchen, as well as a greeting room for formal occasions. A second wing acted as a place for guests to inhabit, also opening into the fragrant and tranquil gardens that were widely known to be the most beautiful in all of Soul Society. A third building on the far end of the gardens held the longtime staff who served the family, numerous attendants, cooking, cleaning, maintenance and security, as well as the horse master, who tended his and Tetsuya's spirit steeds. At the back of the gardens was a gate that opened onto a forest path. To the left stood the stables and family cemetery, and to the right, the path led to a cliff waterfall which rained down into a large blue lake that stood at the edge of a wide open meadow the family often used for training and relaxation._

 _He didn't want to open his eyes._

" _You are afraid?" As Nodt's voice hissed softly in his mind._

 _His eyes flew open and his hand dropped to the hilt of his sword as he looked all around, but found himself still alone at the entrance to his home. Shaking his head to clear it, he forced his feet to move, carrying him through the savaged gates and into the courtyard, where the full impact of the destruction became clear. Not one of the buildings had survived. All had been reduced to piles of broken wood and glowing embers. And in among the fallen pieces were the blackened remains of his staff, still in the places where they had served for every day of his life, and many of them, even before his birth. Tears filled his proud eyes and his breath caught._

" _Is there nothing left?" he asked softly._

 _He had learned, of course, of Ywach's order to break the back of the noble families. He was sure that all of the noble estates would have met the same end. Tears leaked onto his proud face and, being alone and apart from everything he loved, he let them slide in streams down his cheeks. He watched with curious eyes as one fell to the ground at his feet and caught the light of the moon that had peeked through the clouds above him. The tear glinted and glowed, swirling inside and slowly starting to expand, very gradually taking on the shape of a brilliant, golden blossom. Frowning, he reached down to touch the flowers, his fingers shaking as they made contact and a heavy shock went through him._

Byakuya sat up suddenly in his bed, his eyes wide and staring, and his heart pounding hard.

 _It was just a dream. I know the reality is not good, but it won't be like that._

He worked to slow his breathing as the door to his suite opened, and a palace attendant stepped into the room.

" _Gomen nasai_ ," the young man apologized, "but are you all right, Captain Kuchiki? Your reiatsu seems riled. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, thank you," Byakuya answered, running his hands over his face and lying down.

The attendant gave him a sympathetic look.

"Many of the captains and vice captains who fought in the war are suffering from nightmares, sir. If you become too uncomfortable, we have healers prepared to assist you."

"Again, thank you, but I will be fine," Byakuya assured him as he laid back down.

He waited until the attendant was gone, then slipped out of his bed and walked out, onto the balcony. Clouds had covered most of the sky, hiding the moon that had been so brilliant earlier that same evening. He scented moisture in the air that suggested approaching rain.

 _There is much debris that needs to be cleared away_ , he mused, _The rain is cleansing._

The heaviness on his heart persisted this time, even as he looked down into the shadowed gardens, trying to let its sweet scents soothe him. He flinched as an odd ache passed through his midsection and a swell of nausea make his breath catch. He took several breaths of the cool, moist air, but the feeling of illness only increased. He stepped back inside and retreated to his bathroom, where he emptied his stomach violently. He grimaced at the sound of his assigned attendant's approaching footsteps, biting at his lips in protest. A healer arrived a moment later and moved quickly to his side as Byakuya started to stand, then swayed and blinked, spots dancing in front of his eyes.

"Let's get you back to bed," the old healer said kindly, "I am sure some treatment and rest will have you perked up soon."

"Ah, thank you," Byakuya sighed dizzily, allowing the healer and attendant to help him back into his bed.

He rested quietly, slowly drifting back into sleep as the healer offered a gentle infusion of calming reiatsu, then led the hovering attendant out of the room.

"Will he be all right?" the attendant asked, sounding genuinely worried.

"Yes, Miki, he will be fine," the healer assured him, "All of the returning fighters have been through quite an ordeal. He just needs peace, quiet and lots of good food and rest. Stay close by, will you? Let me know if he grows uncomfortable again."

Their voices faded out, leaving Byakuya in a deeper sleep. He breathed slowly, in and out, drifting more peacefully. But even as he rested, he felt strange twinges, little disturbances within his body that kept him from feeling perfectly comfortable. As the feeling increased, he came awake again and sat up. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, then blinked again as he realized someone was standing at the end of his bed.

"Kenpachi?" he whispered, his eyes narrowing.

He saw then the darker red skin and glowing golden eyes and stiffened.

"Get out of here!" he hissed, glancing at the door and expecting his alert attendant would be in any moment and perhaps walking into danger, "You shouldn't be here!"

The demon form's golden eyes fixed on his and the large mouth opened to bare dangerous looking fangs. The red demon climbed onto the bed, crawling forward and closing in on Byakuya as the noble backed away. Moments later, the two were nose to nose and staring into each other's deadly, glaring eyes.

"What are you going to do?" Byakuya asked through clenched teeth.

The demon growled and leaned forward.

"Don't touch me!" Byakuya gasped.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kuri felt the close presence of his zanpakuto spirit and groaned softly, trying to open his heavy eyelids. He managed to crack them open just lightly, giving him a momentary image of Totsuzenshi, standing in front of a tall, black Arabian stallion whose ears perked forward as he gently accepted a cube of sugar from the spirit's extended hand. Totsuzenshi's dark lips smiled and she ran her fingers through the stallion's silken mane, ruffling it, then smoothing it again. She glanced back at Kuri, blinking slowly, then faded away. Kuri nearly jumped out of his skin as a cool, wet cloth touched his hot face, and the scent of mingled flowers and fine leather touched his senses. His eyes flicked towards the source and collided forcefully with Tetsuya's pretty sapphire orbs. He stared for a moment, suddenly remembering.

 _Oh shit…I kissed him, thinking he was Hideaki while I was out of it. I wonder if he's angry._

But he read no anger in Tetsuya's quiet gaze, only kindness and genuine concern.

"Are you feeling better now?" Tetsuya asked, continuing to wash Kuri's sweating face, "You had a fever, because of the infection of one of your wounds. I have healed it, but the fever clung for a while."

"Ah, I am sorry for grabbing you and kissing you like that," Kuri apologized, glad that his caramel skin hid just how much he was blushing.

"It's fine," Tetsuya assured him, "It is normal to behave oddly when one is in your condition. I assure you that if I had felt threatened, I would have stopped you. But your kiss was harmless."

"Was it now?" Kuri chuckled, smirking as Tetsuya realized the portent of his words and quickly backpedaled.

" _Sumimasen_ , Lord Shima," the younger man apologized, blushing brightly, "I only meant…"

"I know what you meant, Tetsu-hana."

"Erm, it's Tetsuya," Tetsuya corrected him.

"To me, you are Tetsu-hana," Kuri insisted, "and now that we have kissed, you have my permission to call me Kuri-Kuri."

"B-but you weren't really meaning to kiss me, Lord Shima," Tetsuya objected, "You thought I was someone else. I told you, I am…"

"What did you tell me?" Kuri asked frowning, "You said you were an abomination? I must have been awfully removed from reality, because all I see is a completely enchanting _joven hermosa_ (beautiful young man)."

"You never change, do you?" Ichigo laughed, making Kuri and Tetsuya's heads turn swiftly.

They found Ichigo standing beside Arashi, along with a battered, but healing Kisuke Urahara, who smiled enigmatically at the two.

"Ichigo!" Tetsuya exclaimed, jumping to his feet and flash stepping to the shinigami substitute.

The two embraced and Tetsuya met Ichigo's eyes expectantly.

"Hey, you have forgotten your wounded soldier?" Kuri complained teasingly.

"Byakuya's injured and being healed, but he's going to be fine," Ichigo reported, "Kisuke and I came to check on you and the family, and to get an idea of how the other noble clans fared."

"Our clan mostly made it out safely, as apparently did Lord Shima's," Tetsuya reported, "The clans that followed our lead took only minor losses."

"That's good news," Kisuke said, looking encouraged.

"But two of the great clans tried to remain in their estates and defend them. They took heavy losses. And several of the lower clans were entirely wiped out."

"Oh man," Ichigo sighed sadly.

"Well, we did know that Ywach targeted the noble families for extinction, so it's good that Tetsuya's plans saved so many. Your clan should be proud of you."

Tetsuya's head bowed.

"I was only doing what I thought was best for everyone," he insisted, "We were lucky that the clans that did conceal themselves with the barriers I provided, were not discovered."

"Did you hear anything from my…erm, from the Shiba clan?" Ichigo asked, "Or um, my dad or sisters?"

"Your father brought your sisters under the protection of the Shiba clan," Tetsuya explained, "I don't know where your father went."

"Well, I did see him in the royal realm, but he left before we could really talk. I think he was coming back to check on my sisters."

"We'll be going to join them soon," Kisuke informed Tetsuya, "but first, we could use a place to rest and have something to eat."

"I can let you through the barrier," Tetsuya offered, "Arashi and I must remain on guard."

"Actually," Kisuke said, motioning to the bushes, where a lovely paint stallion was emerging, "Byakuya's Ikazuchi found us near here and offered to stand guard with Arashi and Kuri's mount, Ambrosio, so that you could join us within the barrier."

"You should bring Kuri inside," Ichigo chuckled, "He looks kinda beat up."

"Speak for yourself, Ichibun," Kuri said saucily, holding his side as he started to laugh.

"Do you think you can walk, Lord Shima?" Tetsuya asked, "I can help you, if you like."

"Oh, I can help Kuri," Ichigo offered.

"We can manage," Kuri said, waving Ichigo off as Tetsuya slipped an arm around the Shima leader and helped him to his feet.

He leaned against Tetsuya, curling an arm around him as they turned towards the barrier. Ichigo laughed softly and exchanged knowing smirks with Kisuke.

"I think Kuri found a friend," he chuckled.

"Oh," Kisuke mused, giving Ichigo an oddly affectionate look, "I think there's more than friendship happening there, don't you?"

"It's good to see Kuri connecting with someone like that," Ichigo observed, as they followed the others through the barrier, "He's been in mourning over hideaki since before he and I even met."

"He's going to pass out when he learns who you really are," Kisuke commented, "Everyone will."

"Yeah," Ichigo sighed wearily, "well, let me have a few more minutes of being just me, okay? I'm not in a hurry to have my life taken over, even by the Shiba clan. I just can't be like Byakuya."

"Hey," Kisuke said bracingly, laying a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and meeting his eyes warmly, "You don't have to be like Byakuya. The Shiba clan's different than the Kuchiki clan…less stuffy, you know. You'll be all right. And besides, I don't think anyone's ever going to change you in a way you don't want to be changed."

Ichigo's smile seemed to seep down deeply into the shopkeeper's proud chest, tickling his heart.

"Thanks, Kisuke. I need to hear that."

 _I wonder if you know what I'm needing to hear…Ichigo._

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Be quiet_ , the demon admonished the paralyzed noble, extending its tongue and shocking Byakuya soundly by tickling his darkly flushed cheek and earlobe with it.

Byakuya tried to move, but was frozen in place as the demon form bit down on his shoulder, emitting a strange purring growl that radiated throughout his body, leaving him quiet and staring. His eyes fixed on the red demon's clawed hand as it slid down Byakuya's slender torso and rubbed his soft belly, sending a stream of warm reiatsu into the area.

"What are you doing?" Byakuya breathed, his heart racing madly as his vision seemed to tilt strangely and spin.

His grey eyes blinked slowly, several times, and he fell quiet, simply watching as his body was infused with the warm and somewhat stinging reiatsu. He might have just fallen asleep, but for the growing feeling of arousal that was stealing into his loins. The hand that caressed his abdomen slipped down, progressively lower, honing in on that part of him that was very much wanting to be touched. The heavier growl gave way to a softer purring that stole away the feeling of incapacitation and allowed Byakuya to, once again, move. He started to pull away, but found himself lured close again by the hand that found his nether region and teased him with unexpected gentleness. The demon form's red face moved closer, it's hot, hungry lips finding his and rubbing against them. Byakuya suffered a flash image of the demon pressing up against his back, biting down on the back of his neck and invading his body from behind. The noble jerked suddenly free of Kenpachi's demon bankai, his dark grey eyes flashing with fury.

"Don't you dare!" he seethed, pushing the demon form away.

He fell forward onto his hands and knees on the bed, panting and reeling at the powerful, lusty urge that was radiating through his body.

"What are you doing to me?" he demanded, "Stop it!"

 _It's not me_ , the demon's voice hissed impatiently, _It's coming from you. I rescued you, and your reiatsu called out to mine._

"What are you talking about? That is just not possible! I cannot be resonating with an insane, maniacal, barbaric monster like you. There must be some mistake!"

The demon bankai gave him a meaningful glare.

 _Then…you do not want the child we made?_

Byakuya stared back at Kenpachi's possessed golden eyes, realization breaking over his mind like a thunderclap and sending him crashing down into blackness. The demon form caught him as he fell, grinning widely as he lowered Byakuya onto the bed. His loins ached fiercely, making him whine longingly, but he backed away slowly and launched himself out the window, racing out of the palace and into the gardens. The demon's golden eyes blinked several times, then he stiffened and collapsed, landing facedown, under a stand of blossoming sakura. As he laid on the ground, his red skin gradually lightened to it's normal, paler color, and his eyes returned to their usual shade of green. Kenpachi woke several hours later with a snort and sat up, looking around questioningly. He reached up and scratched the back of his neck, frowning.

 _How in the hell did I get out here?_ he wondered, _I know I went to sleep in my room. I guess I was doin' a little sleepwalking._

He let out a huff of breath and climbed to his feet, ambling back along the path and bounding up to climb onto his balcony. He made a sound of surprise at finding he had landed, not on his, but on Byakuya's instead. A bit of movement caught his eye and his frown deepened as he spotted Byakuya stretched out on his bed with a healer and an attendant at his bedside. He walked in off of the balcony, earning looks of surprise from the two treating the apparently unconscious noble.

"What's wrong with him?" Kenpachi asked.

At the sound of his voice, Byakuya's eyes flew open and he flew off the bed, tackling his fellow captain and bringing crashing onto the floor on his back. Kenpachi looked up into the noble's deadly eyes, grinning widely.

"What the hell, Kuchiki?"

"You bastard!" Byakuya roared, "I am going to _kill_ you!"


	4. Little Mistakes

**Chapter 4: Little Mistakes**

"What in the ever-loving hell are you doin?" Kenpachi complained, grabbing at Byakuya's wrists as the infuriated noble struggled on top of him, "Is that any way to greet your ol' fighting buddy?"

"Please, Captain Kuchiki, you must calm down!" the royal healer pleaded with him, "Your reiatsu is already unstable!"

"His reiatsu ain't the only thing that's unstable, if you ask me," Kenpachi snickered, "Calm the fuck down and get off of me, will you?"

With his attendant and the healer tugging urgently on his arms, Byakuya relented and released his fellow captain. He grudgingly let his attendant help him back into bed, then watched as the healer and attendant left the room. He turned deadly eyes back on Kenpachi as the other captain shook his head and let out a flustered breath.

"Have you gone mental or something?" he chided the noble, "What's wrong with you?"

"What is _wrong_?" Byakuya repeated indignantly, staring down at his own body, "What is wrong is that, that _primal beast_ inside you has _impregnated me_!"

"It what?" Kenpachi said, staring in surprise and confusion.

"You do not even remember, do you?" Byakuya hissed, "Did that monster take over what little mind you have? It dragged me out of the debris and then it had sex with me!"

"Oh, I've remembered that part now," Kenpachi said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "And I remember that you were into it. He just gave you a little love bite and you spread those pretty, white thighs open wide for him."

"It affected my mind!" the enraged noble insisted.

"Yeah, arousal does that."

"And then, when I confronted it, it said that it was my doing, that my reiatsu was harassing it."

"If the shoe fits…"

"I was not doing _anything_ of the sort, and I did not ask to be manhandled by that marauding, red nightmare!"

"C'mon," Kenpachi drawled, "It couldn't have been worse than dying, right?"

"I think I would rather have died," Byakuya said icily.

"You fought pretty damned hard for a guy who wants to die," Kenpachi observed, smirking at him, "Relax, okay?"

" _Relax_?" Byakuya repeated disbelievingly, "How in kami's sweet name am I supposed to relax? I am the _unmarried_ leader of the greatest of the noble clans and I am carrying what can only be described as bastard demon spawn!"

"Now, that's not nice," the bigger man chided him, "You shouldn't talk about our kid like that."

"How do we even know that what comes out of me won't be something more like your demonic bankai?" Byakuya mused in a panicked tone, "I cannot make an announcement. I cannot do anything. I cannot let anyone know!"

"I thought that the healer and attendant handled it okay."

"I did not tell them!" Byakuya raged

"Oh."

"And you!" Byakuya said heatedly, "How can you stand there, looking like this is not anything to you?"

"Well, you're the one whose knocked up, Princess, not me," Kenpachi laughed.

"And you think you are absolved of responsibility?" the noble seethed, "You cannot just _do this_ to me and…"

"What am I supposed to do?" Kenpachi huffed, scratching at the back of his neck, "You saying you want me to marry you or something?"

"I would rather…"

"I get it," Kenpachi said, earning a scathing look, "Look, I get that the monster did something I have to be responsible for. I'll help you take care of the kid, okay? Is that what you want?"

"That's not what I want!" Byakuya exclaimed, surging out of the bed again and attacking as Kenpachi backed up to the wall, holding him away with a large, open hand, "I want to destroy you!"

"Well, that's not happening, so we're just gonna have to deal with it."

Byakuya gave him a disgusted look and retreated to the edge of the bed, where he sat down and put his face in his hands.

"I am never going to be able to show my face again, if this gets out!" he worried.

"Well, there's a kid on the way," Kenpachi laughed, "It's not like we can hide it…at least, not for long."

Byakuya lifted his face out of his hands and glared at the eleventh division captain.

"Do you have any idea what the elders of my family are going to do to me?" he asked, shaking his head. "It was bad enough when I defied them and married a commoner, then brought her sister into the family as well. This…"

He paused, his face reflecting devastation as he considered the possibilities.

"I do not know what to do," he whispered, "What can I do?"

"Looks to me like you've got a few options."

Byakuya raised his dark eyes to meet Kenpachi's skeptically.

"First," the bigger man went on, "you could tell them and just be honest."

"They would vote to treat this in the same way that it would be treated if I was raped and impregnated by a hollow. The decree against ending a leader's gestation would be rescinded, and I would be expected to abort the baby."

Kenpachi absorbed the information quietly for a moment.

"Well, you're worried it's gonna be a demon," he commented, "That would keep you from getting blamed if they accept that my bankai form raped you."

"And what if my child is perfectly normal?" Byakuya asked, "I would be destroying my own progeny."

Byakuya pondered the suggestion and deflated even more.

"Do you care about what happens to this child?" asked the noble, "You speak of it like you do not."

"Of course I care," Kenpachi answered, frowning, "But I know from experience not to get too attached to anyone, because shit happens. And when it does, it tends to take the cute, sweet and little things with it."

"What a lovely viewpoint," Byakuya said dryly.

Kenpachi ignored him and moved on.

"So, the second thing you can do is try to hide the baby bump and lie about the baby when it gets here. You can keep it or you can give it away, preferably to me, since I am the father."

"Actually, your sword's spirit is the father, but I suppose that hardly matters, since you are treated under the law as one and the same."

Byakuya went silent for several seconds, then stiffened.

"What is it?" asked Kenpachi.

"Raping a clan leader is a serious thing," Byakuya answered worriedly, "Even though it was your sword's spirit, you could be held responsible and imprisoned."

"Fuck no," Kenpachi snorted, "That's not happening!"

"Then, I suppose I will have to disappear for the duration of the pregnancy," Byakuya decided.

"What?"

"If I stay," Byakuya said impatiently, "then, eventually, the pregnancy would be discovered. I cannot hide it for very long. And I cannot simply make excuses, because there are responsibilities I have as a captain and as a clan leader that I will not be able to fulfill."

Kenpachi's eyes narrowed and he brought a hand up to rub his chin thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking?" asked Byakuya.

"Huh," Kenpachi mused, "Seems like, if you stay or if you run away, you'll get into trouble."

"I am in trouble, no matter how I handle this," Byakuya sighed, "There is no escaping that."

"Wait a second," Kenpachi urged him, "I may have an idea."

Byakuya gave him a skeptical look.

"You have an idea that will allow me to find out if this is a shinigami child or a demon, go through a full gestation without my clan or Central 46 learning of it and allow me to return without facing court-martial or clan punishment?" the noble asked scathingly, "I do not think so."

"Give me a chance," Kenpachi chuckled, "Trust me, this'll work. At least, I think it will."

Byakuya looked back at him wordlessly as Kenpachi summoned his sword to his hand.

"What are you...?" Byakuya began.

"Bankai…"

XXXXXXXXXX

"You look tired, Tetsu-hana," Kuri said, handing the young man a plate of food as he and Kisuke emerged from the healing area, "You must eat something before you fall down."

Ichigo offered Kisuke a plate and nodded in the direction of a table in the dining area.

"You look pretty worn down too," he observed, "Come on over and rest a little."

The four sat down at the table, where Tetsuya and Kisuke began to devour the hot, filling meals.

"There are so many wounded coming in," Tetsuya said wearily, "We just finish and there is another group arriving."

"The fourth division is overwhelmed," Kisuke said, blinking sleepily, "Luckily for us, the injuries and damage are confined pretty much to the Seireitei and the Rukongai doesn't seem to have been attacked. So, we may actually have a chance of catching up in a few days."

"You guys won't last a few more days unless you get some sleep," Ichigo said worriedly.

"Bed're all taken," Kisuke yawned, "and I don't need sleep."

"Liar!" Ichigo laughed, watching as Kisuke wolfed down the last few bites, then slipping a hand into the shopkeeper's, "C'mon, I have a bed. You can sleep next to me. There's room. Besides, with blankets in short supply, we need to double up for warmth."

Tetsuya's blue eyes brightened.

"I know where there is another store of food, clothing and bedding," he explained, "I can…"

"Let it wait until morning," Kuri chided him.

"But, there are people who need those stores now," Tetsuya reasoned, "It isn't far. I can take Arashi and be back in an hour or so."

"You shouldn't be going out alone, with all of the desperation attacks," Ichigo objected.

"I won't be alone," Tetsuya said, shaking his head, "I'll be with Arashi."

"I am sure he is a good protector," Kuri said, "but he and the other spirit steeds have been on duty for a long time. They need rest too, Tetsu-hana."

"There are people who need those supplies urgently," Tetsuya said stubbornly, "I understand and appreciate your concern, but Arashi and I are perfectly capable of…"

"All right, all right," Kuri laughed, putting up his hands defensively, "I won't try to stop you. But, you must at least let me accompany you."

"You want to ride with me in your condition?" Tetsuya objected, "You were just recently healed and you were ordered to rest!"

"I am fine," Kuri said, brushing off the younger man's concern, "Besides, didn't you just tell me that there were people who urgently need those supplies? I can hardly sit here and nurse my little wounds when women and children could be going without."

Tetsuya gave the other two men a helpless look.

"You might as well take him along, Tetsuya," Ichigo chuckled, "Kuri's not going to let you go off without him. Do you want me to go with you too?"

"You just got off of guard duty," Kisuke objected, "and you were going to show me where I could lie down."

Ichigo shrugged.

"You heard the man," he said, looking amused, "But, are you really sure about going now? I could…"

"We'll be fine," Kuri assured him, "Go and rest. I have Tetsu-hana well in hand…erm, I mean, I will accompany Tetsu-hana."

"See you guys in the morning," Ichigo said, turning with Kisuke to seek out the sleeping area.

Kuri followed Tetsuya to the camp entrance, then through the protective barrier that kept the quincy invaders repelled.

"Are you sure it' best to do this at night?" Kuri asked, "The quincies are less likely to see us, but we are also less likely to see them."

"Not so," Tetsuya said, smiling.

He drew his weapon and invoked his shikai, wrapping protective waterforms around them.

"Ah," Kuri mused, "you have a power better used in darkness."

"My waterforms are least visible in the darkness or shadows. We will still need to steer clear of bright light, but we should also be able to avoid quincy eyes."

"That is good," Kuri said, looking around, "Would you like to take my horse or yours?"

Tetsuya smiled as Arashi appeared, as though out of nowhere and Kuri gave the stallion an appreciative look.

"You have a few tricks up your sleeve too," the Shima leader said, patting Arashi gently and receiving a warm nuzzle in reply.

"He likes you," Tetsuya observed, "He teases Abarai Renji and sometimes Ichigo too."

"Has a sense of humor, eh?" Kuri chuckled, offering Tetsuya a hand and helping him onto Arashi's back. He climbed on behind Tetsuya, wincing as the motion sent twinges of intense pain through his injured side and back.

"Are you all right?" Tetsuya asked, looking back at Kuri over his shoulder.

"It's nothing, just some residual pain. It will hang around a few days and it will fade."

"I could give you a pain block," Tetsuya offered.

Kuri shook his head firmly.

"You have been healing people all day long. Much more and you will not be able to sit up to ride."

"I'm really not that tired," Tetsuya laughed softly.

"Come," Kuri said, nudging Arashi with his heel, "there are people waiting for the supplies we are bringing, Tetsu-hana."

Arashi moved into a trot, heading down a barely visible trail that he seemed to know well. Tetsuya extended his senses, scanning the area around them as they rode.

"It seems much quieter now," Kuri observed, "I think the remnants of the quincy army are mostly just retreating now. Still, we had best be…"

His breath caught as Tetsuya turned swiftly and clapped a hand over his mouth, at the same time, turning Arashi off of the path and into the shadows. A moment later, a group of five quincies crept by. As they passed out of sight, Tetsuya slid down and motioned for Kuri to do the same.

"Arashi," Tetsuya addressed the stallion, "they are heading in the direction of the encampment. You need to hurry back and warn everyone!"

"What about us?" Kuri asked, watching as Arashi broke into a gallop and disappeared into the night.

"We still need those supplies," Tetsuya reasoned, "Besides, we are not fit for fighting right now. This mission is crucial. We will continue on to the supply bunker and we will remain there until Arashi returns."

Kuri nodded.

"At least we won't be too cold or hungry there," he commented.

Tetsuya led the Shima leader back onto the trail and the two passed silently through the forest, stopping once to drink from a small brook. They reached the bunker without incident and were just passing inside when they heard the Seireitei alarms begin to wail.

"I wonder what is happening," Kuri said, looking worriedly back in the direction they had come. Are you sure we shouldn't go back?"

"It is best for us to stay here," Tetsuya assured him, "There will probably be even more need for the supplies we are bringing after the emergency ends."

Kuri closed the door to the little bunker, while Tetsuya lit a kido light and the two men looked around appraisingly. Kuri examined the huge store of food, blankets and medical equipment, then glanced at Tetsuya questioningly.

"Is something wrong?" Tetsuya asked.

"Pardon me for asking, but how do you plan for us to bring all of this back?" Kuri asked.

"I can suspend everything in waterform that will hover in the air behind us as we return," Tetsuya explained, "As long as nothing strikes the waterform, we can move everything back without taking chances of having the stores stolen in an attack by the enemy."

"Ah, good thinking. But we should rest while we wait for Arashi to return."

"I need to count the…" Tetsuya began.

Kuri slipped an arm around him and nudged him towards the blankets and pillows.

"You need to rest, and so do I," he said firmly, "Come now, we will count things later. For now, we will count sheep."

Tetsuya gave the Shima leader a shy smile.

"Are you sure you aren't just wanting to lie down near me?"

"I am guilty as sin," Kuri snickered, slipping an arm around Tetsuya, "But, you are not looking like you mind very much."

"It will be warmer than sleeping alone," Tetsuya said, smirking.

Kuri moved closer and trapped Tetsuya up against the stone wall of the bunker.

"I think you want more than my warmth," he accused the younger man gently, pressing his lips to Tetsuya's and smiling as Tetsuya kissed back, "Come on, now. We really should lie down. This is the most privacy we will have for awhile. We should enjoy it."

"I thought we were just going to sleep," Tetsuya said, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes," Kuri chuckled, "we will get to that."


	5. The Hostage

**Chapter 5: The Hostage**

 **(My gratitude to everyone reading and reviewing! You are the best! More Kenny is on the way for Kenpachi's birthday month! Stay tuned. Love to all, Spunky)**

"Y-you imbecile!" Byakuya snapped, "What in Kami's name are you _doing_?"

He watched in dismay as Kenpachi's body began to shimmer, then slowly distorted in front of his eyes, suffering odd contortions as his skin darkened and reddened, and he fell into a low crouch in front of the stymied noble.

"Kenpachi, do not…do not even think about…" he began, backing away from the forming demon as its wiry body emitted puffs of smoke and the beast's mouth opened to reveal bared white fangs.

Byakuya's face paled and he continued to back away as the demon form snarled and advanced on him.

"Kenpachi…"

Byakuya gasped and tried to flash step as the demon launched itself forward, snapping him up and throwing him over a strong shoulder.

"You brazen beast!" Byakuya hissed, "Put me down at once!"

The beast replied only with a string of feral hisses and growls that the noble oddly understood as being a warning not to struggle. Then, the demon's rasping voice spoke into his mind.

 _If you struggle, you'll get hurt. Hold still._

"Promise me that you will not touch me against my will!" Byakuya demanded furiously, "Otherwise, I will kill you right here!"

The beast emitted a sound that could have been a laugh and bolted out the balcony doors, then launched himself over the rail, landing down on the grass below. Shouts rose behind them and flash steps sounded all around as the royal guardsmen reacted to the flash sighting of the fiery beast.

"Hold your fire! He has someone!" one of the guards warned the others.

"It's Captain Kuchiki!" shouted another.

"Get us out of here!" Byakuya hissed into Kenpachi's demon form's long red ear, "Someone could recognize your demon form."

 _Don't worry about it_ , the demon assured him, blowing black smoke out of his nostrils and obscuring the air around them.

"Do you have a plan for getting us out of the royal realm?" Byakuya asked scathingly, "It does no good to escape the palace if we cannot get down to the Seireitei. Does this harebrained maniacal form of yours have any cognizance at all of the predicament we are in?"

 _Shut up!_ the beast snapped, racing through a cluster of trees and heading for the edge of the gardens, where only a high wall separated them from the drop down to their home world.

 _Got everything you need?_ The beast asked,breathing out plumes of fire, _We're going home._

"Kenpachi!" Byakuya gasped, watching in horror as they approached the wall at breakneck speed, "For the love of kami, what are you _doing_? You're going to kill us!"

He tried to pull free, but found himself locked in unyielding arms as the raging beast that was Kenpachi's bankai form reached the royal realm wall and leaped heedlessly over.

"KENPACHI!" Byakuya howled, burying his face in the demon form's thick hair and strong shoulder as they flew into the air, then slowed and began to tumble downward, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

Byakuya was stunned a moment later to notice that, although they had to have begun hitting the protective layers that separated the two realms, he felt none of the expected resistance.

 _I did not even have time to grab my oken clothing. How is he able to…?_

A worse concern stabbed at his insides.

 _How will we stop?_

He started to speak, then was struck dumb again as a wild flapping sounded and long, leathery wings erupted from Kenpachi's back. The wings spread out and beat furiously, gradually stopping their rapid descent and taking them into a much gentler and controlled flight. Byakuya breathed a sigh of relief and clung to the demon form's back as Kenpachi carried him down into the Seireitei, then screeched as he landed on a barren, rocky hilltop.

 _Open a senkaimon._

Byakuya stared at him for a moment.

"You want to go to the living world?" he asked.

The beast loosed a roar into his face that left dribbles of saliva on his cheeks and his ears ringing loudly.

 _Just do it, before we get caught!_

"Do you think you can just give me orders?" Byakuya said icily.

 _I just fucking kidnapped you. You do what I say, unless you wanna go back and let them kill our kid!_

The cold truth made Byakuya freeze for a moment, then deflate. Wordlessly, he extended a hand and opened the senkaimon, then he rested more quietly against the demon form's back, his eyes sad and touched with loneliness. One golden eye rotated to look at him, then the beast's long tongue swept out of its mouth and slid along Byakuya's pale cheek.

"What is that for?" the noble asked numbly, "Are you tempted to just kill me yourself."

 _You looked sad. I was cheering you up._

Byakuya stared at the back of the demon form's head speechlessly for a moment.

"Ah," he sighed irritably, "I suppose I should thank you. But, next time will you please just tell me with words? It is not polite to go around licking people."

 _What the fuck do you want?_

 _I'm a demon._

XXXXXXXXXX

"Can I ask you something?" Kisuke said softly, meeting Ichigo's curious golden brown eyes as the younger man's head turned.

"I thought you were sleeping," Ichigo said, frowning, "I know you're really tired."

"I'll sleep," Kisuke promised, "but I need to know something first. It's a personal question, but it's kinda important."

"Yeah?" Ichigo prompted him, "What is it?"

"You know the whole story about your mom and dad, and that means that you know that I also knew everything and kept it from you."

"Yeah, I do," Ichigo admitted in a low, carefully controlled voice.

"You're angry," Kisuke observed, "And just having listened to you going off about how your dad kept everything from you, I know you're not just mad at him. You're angry with me too."

Ichigo glared into the shopkeeper's grey eyes for several long, silent moments before answering.

"I'm not as mad at you as I am at him, but yeah, I'm angry."

"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Kisuke apologized, "I really am. I just…"

"It wasn't your story to tell," Ichigo said shortly, "I get it."

"And it's just one more thing that I've kept from you," Kisuke confessed, "I've kept a lot of things from you, thinking to spare you or…thinking that I had to. I don't know. I wonder how you can trust me at all anymore."

Ichigo's eyes studied Kisuke's face in the darkness for a time.

"You may keep things from me, but you don't do it to hurt me," he decided, "You were sworn to secrecy by my dad, weren't you?"

"Yeah, he said that if the Gotei 13 found out what I'd done to balance Masaki's soul, we'd all be either imprisoned for life or executed."

"Having dealt with the way Central 46 is, I'd say he was probably right," Ichigo concluded, "It doesn't make me feel any better really, but I know it would be wrong to hold all of this against you. After all you've done for me, I can't let something like this come between us. I decided not to hold it against my dad, and I won't hold it against you either."

Kisuke let out a soft, relieved breath and closed his eyes, missing the more curious look he earned from the younger man.

"You were that worried about me being pissed at you for keeping my dad's secret from me?" he mused, "Did you really think I would just write you off, after everything?"

"Eh, I ah…" Kisuke stammered.

He stiffened in shock as Ichigo turned suddenly and surprised him with a long, deliciously passionate kiss. He stared in silence as the younger man broke the contact and grinned at him.

"You know, you may be able to think circles around everyone when it comes to making plans to save the world, but when it comes to people, you kinda suck at reading them."

"I guess you've got me there," Kisuke chuckled, running his fingers affectionately through the ginger strands of Ichigo's hair, "Everybody's got their Achille's heel, right?"

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, "Look, I'm not gonna hold the past against you, but if you want me the way that your eyes are telling me you do, then you have to just be able to tell me things from now on. No more secrets. Not between us."

Kisuke let out a long, shaky sigh and nodded.

"No more secrets," he promised, "Not anymore."

The younger man gave him a knowing smirk.

"Are there any leftover secrets you need to tell me now?" he asked in a more playful tone.

"You want me to just tell you, huh?" Kisuke snickered, "You won't try to coax it out of me?"

"What kinda coaxing were you thinking of?" Ichigo asked, raising himself onto his knees on the bed and opening his yukata, baring his front completely to the elder man.

Kisuke grinned widely and reached for him, only to freeze a moment later as the Seireitei alarms began to ring and flash steps sounded in the hallway, outside Ichigo's chamber.

"Damn," Ichigo sighed, slipping out of bed and beginning to dress, "Is this ever gonna be over?"

"Not for awhile, Strawberry. We're gonna be really busy for a little longer. But hey, when this is over, we can pick up where we left off, right?"

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, wrangling his clothes back into place, then heading for the chamber door with the shopkeeper at his side, "I promise."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya braced himself against the rock wall of the small storage cave, enjoying the hard press of Kurushimi's strong body as it pushed up against his, and the commanding thrust of the caramel-skinned man's lusty tongue as it invaded his mouth and explored him relentlessly. The Shima leader's warm hands slipped beneath Tetsuya's torn navy house guard's uniform, caressing the battered and dirty white flesh beneath as the two men continued to kiss. After several minutes, Tetsuya sucked in a deeper breath and pulled away, looking around the semi-dark chamber as the Seireitei alarms continued to wail.

"Kuri-kuri," he said softly, "is it really all right to be kissing and carrying on, while outside, people are fighting for their lives?"

Kuri gave a soft chuckle and slid down the wall, bringing Tetsuya with him.

"What can we do, Tetsu-hana? I am too injured and you are too exhausted to be of use in fighting. We are here until the crisis is over. Do not worry. The encampment is being watched by the spirit steeds. It will be all right."

"But you said yourself that the spirit steeds need to rest too," Tetsuya objected, "They are tired, but they are fighting. I should…"

"No," Kuri interrupted calmly, taking Tetsuya's hands in his, "We must stay put for now, not just because we are not up to fighting, but because if we emerge and begin fighting, we will be distracted from bringing back these supplies that the people in the encampment are going to need. We have an important job here."

"How can you say that when some of your own family is in the encampment?" Tetsuya objected, "Your mother and sister…"

"They are good fighters," Kuri said, matter-of-factly, "They will be all right."

"You're not worried?"

"Of course I am," Kurushimi admitted, "but if I kill myself trying to get back and fight when I am in this dreadful condition, those two would get together and kill me again."

Tetsuya let out a little laugh in spite of himself.

"I guess you are right," he sighed, leaning up against the Shima leader's warm shoulder, "but I would feel better if we didn't make out anymore. It feels wrong while people I care about could be suffering."

"Very well, Tetsu-hana," Kuri laughed, "We will just cuddle if you prefer it."

"Well, we do need to stay warm," Tetsuya reasoned.

"I feel plenty warm just looking at you," Kuri purred, slipping an arm around the younger man and pulling Tetsuya closer, "although with you so close, I want to do more than just look."

"I know," Tetsuya said, blushing, "I am tempted by you as well. But…"

Tetsuya broke off, looking around, then turning his blue eyes back onto the Shima leader.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, blinking, "The sirens have stopped."

Tetsuya stood and approached the storage cave's entrance, pausing to listen carefully with his senses extended.

"It seems that the area is clear," Tetsuya reported.

He turned back to the huge collection of stores and touched light fingertips to his zanpakutou, breathing a soft command. Kuri watched, smiling appreciatively as the stores in the cave shimmered in front of him and slowly faded from view. Tetsuya directed the waterform bearing them through the door and out into the darkness. Kuri followed him outside and moved off for several minutes while Tetsuya waited, to explore the area around them and to make sure the pathway was clear.

"I sense nothing worrisome," the Shima leader reported, falling in with Tetsuya as the younger man's shikai wrapped around them, also concealing them from view.

They headed back along the quiet trail, both cautiously reading the reiatsu around them.

"You know, Tetsu-hana," Kuri said conversationally, "I still owe you for finding me and nursing me back to health."

"I wouldn't call it nursing you back to health," Tetsuya chuckled, "I really only applied basic field aid and escorted you to safety."

"Nonetheless, I would have been dead if you had not found me lying there. I am indebted to you, and I promise I will find the way to repay you."

"You don't need to repay me," Tetsuya insisted, "and you know, Kuri, you don't have to have an excuse to ask me to go out with you. I do still mourn the husband I lost during my escape from the noble's prison, but I know my Naoki would want me to be happy and to not be lonely."

"Then, why have you hidden in the shadows for so long, lovely Tetsu-hana?" Kuri asked, pausing and curving a warm hand around his cheek, "Why did you only come close to me when I was unconscious and not able to charm you properly."

"I don't know," Tetsuya confessed, looking calmly up into the Shima leader's handsome turquoise eyes, "I suppose I am used to being overlooked and I have long concealed myself as a means of protection, for my cousin and for myself. Just because I have not taken a lover in all of this time, does not mean I haven't been pursued. It's just that the one who pursued me is a wicked man, but he has an obsession with me."

Kuri scowled.

"Your bastard cousin, Orochi," he surmised, "He reminds me of another despicable cousin of yours, Sasune."

"He was to be married to you," Tetsuya remembered, "Byakuya told me."

"It was supposed to be good for our clans," Kuri explained, "and I was okay with it at first, until the animal revealed his true colors and tried to have his way with me in a room at his father's mansion, during an engagement dinner. Even then, I was going to go through with it, that is, until one day when I was walking in the Rukongai and happened to walk past as someone fell from a ladder and landed in my arms by surprise."

"Your Hideaki," Tetsuya surmised, "This is how you met?"

"Yes. He was a beauty, like you. But he was a peasant boy. I knew that my family would not let us marry, so we eloped."

"Were your parents angry?" Tetsuya asked.

"My father was already gone to serve the king," Kuri explained, " _Mamà_ and Deripie ripped me a new one, but they instantly fell in love with Hideaki too. And they spoiled him to death. We managed to work out a deal with your family to avoid hostility, but Sasune was enraged. He swore he would take his revenge somehow. I wondered if he might have somehow had something to do with my husband's death, but there was no proof of anything."

"There was no _proof_ after the emancipation of Itamigiri that the illegal nobles prison that had held me had ever existed," Tetsuya said softly, "That doesn't mean it didn't happen."

He thought for a moment, then shook his head penitently.

"I am sorry, Kuri-kuri. I didn't mean to insinuate anything. I have never heard of any plot to harm you or your husband or any hint that my cousin, Sasune was involved."

"I suppose I just wanted someone to blame, something to do so that I wouldn't feel so damned helpless."

"I am sorry," Tetsuya said, slipping a hand into his and continuing along the pathway, "I understand what a loss you suffered."

"Thank you, Tetsu-hana," Kuri said gratefully.

The two slowed as they reached the barrier and Tetsuya touched it gently to let them pass through. They were met immediately by house guards, who began removing the supplies they had brought.

Kuri looked around questioningly.

"We should go and rest," he suggested.

"There is a shortage on rooms," Tetsuya said solemnly, "And I am sure that your place in the infirmary has been taken by someone who needs it. But, Kuri-kuri is welcome to sleep in my quarters tonight…as long as he is a gentleman."

"Oh, Tetsu-hana, I would say that you might as well throw me out with the dogs, but for you…"

He took Tetsuya's hand and raised it to his lips.

"I will be a perfect gentleman! Eh…for tonight anyway."


End file.
